154 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICUI.TURAL SOCIETY. 



House of Representatives, 



Washington, Jan 11, 190T. 

 Mr. L. M. Russell, Secretary of the Nebraska State Hortictiltural Society, 

 Lincoln, Nebraska. 



My Dear Mr. Russell: I regret very much that it will be impossible 

 for me to attend the mid-winter meeting of the Nebraska State Horti- 

 cultural Society. Of couise, my duties here are such that it will be 

 Impossible for me to leave. There is one matter, however, that I wish 

 to take up with you, as secretary, and I hope that you will bring it 

 before the society. I think that I have a right to assume that the 

 Legislature now in session will clothe the new railroad commission, 

 recently created by the adoption of the cotistitutional amendment pro- 

 viding for the election by the people of three railroad commissioners, 

 with power to regulate railroad rates within the state. Both parties 

 are pledged to do this and it seems to me that there is no question but 

 what they will redeem their pledges to the people. Assuming that this 

 will be done, I would respectfully suggest that the society appoint three 

 or five of its members as a committee to take up with the commission, 

 as soon as the new law is passed, the question of securing more equitable 

 railroad and express rates on fruit to points within the state. It is a 

 notorious fact that the fruit growers of Michigan, New York and Colorado 

 can ship their fruit into Western Nebraska fully as cheap, and in many 

 instances cheaper, than the fruit-gi'owers of Eastern Nebraska can send 

 their own products to the same points. The Nebraska market justly 

 and -properly belongs to the local fruit-growers so long as they can 

 produce fruit of superior quality, and in so far as they are able to 

 supply the demand. We are fully entitled to at least as good rates as 

 our competitors who have to ship their fruit from two to ten times 

 as far. 



This session of Congress terminates March 4th. I expect to be home 

 within a few days after adjournment. I will be very glad to render this 

 committee any assistance within my power. 



Trusting that you will convey to the members my solicitude for the 

 continued success of the Society and my best wishes for a happy and 

 prosperous new year for you all, I remain. 



Very truly yours, ERNEST M. POLLARD. 



A Member: I move we extend the greetings of this society to Mr. 

 Pollard. 



A Member: I move that the letter of Mr. Pollard be referred to 

 the Legislative Committee. It seems that would be the only standing 

 committee having jurisdiction. Seconded. 



A Voice: I would like to amend that motion by saying that we nave 

 a committee on railroads; we carried that over until this meeting, and 

 I would like to amend that by saying that this same railroad committee, 

 of which Mr. Pollard is one, be extended through the next year. 



